Amazon

Get a refurbished Kindle Fire tablet for $69.99

Just yesterday I told you about Ematic's new 7-inch Android tablet, which goes on sale next month for $79.99. If you can't wait, or prefer to stick with a name brand, today's your lucky day.

While supplies last (and I guarantee you they won't last long), CNET has this exclusive deal: the refurbished Amazon Kindle Fire (first gen) tablet for $69.99 (plus sales tax) when you use coupon code CNETFIRE at checkout. There's no shipping charge because the seller is Best Buy, and you'll need to visit your closest store to pick … Read more

Rumor Has It: Apple getting serious about games?

This week, some old-time rumors reared their heads.

Rumors of a Facebook phone resurfaced after a rather cryptic invite went out last week to "Come see our new home on Android." What could it mean?

Amazon has something secret up its sleeve -- possibly. A former Windows Phone exec recently stated on his LinkedIn profile that he's working on something "secret" and "wonderful." Could Amazon finally be letting its Amazon phone cat out of the bag? Let's hope not.

And finally, not to be outdone, Apple supposedly held some secret meetings at the Game Developers Conference … Read more

Why Apple would make a cheaper iPhone

CNET Update clears calendar for summer:

In addition to a brand-new summer iPhone, it's said Apple is working on a plastic iPhone. Today's Update explains why that could make sense for Apple.

Also in the roundup, there's yet another video service launching. The streaming music service Rdio is diving into the video space with Vdio.

For those that won't give up on CDs and vinyl records, Amazon is offering free digital copies of songs with AutoRip.

And what's next for mobile communications as the cell phone turns 40? HD Voice is rolling out to carriers … Read more

Amazon Cloud Drive app available for OS X

Amazon's Cloud Drive is one of many online storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft's SkyDrive where you can save pictures and documents for access on another system with Internet access.

While the Cloud Drive service has been available for a while, one of its lacking features has been a well-integrated file sync option that makes use of the online storage seamless. Additionally, Amazon's older tools for accessing the drive were written in Java, which is no longer included in OS X and which many are avoiding because of security issues.

To bring its service up … Read more

Amazon extends AutoRip to vinyl records

Hipsters rejoice. Amazon is adding vinyl records to its AutoRip service, which lets people store music in the cloud.

The company introduced the AutoRip service in January. In its original form, the service allows people who buy or have ever bought CDs on Amazon to also store a digital copy of that album in the Amazon Cloud Player. The company said today in its press release that the service has been extended to vinyl records. Customers should look for the AutoRip logo to know which vinyl records offer digital copies.

The way it works is that when customers purchase an … Read more

Amazon's 'secret' stirs buzz about phone

CNET Update has no secrets:

Amazon hired a former Windows Phone boss to lead a "secret" project on something that is a "totally new area for Amazon." Cue the Amazon phone rumors!

Also featured in Tuesday's tech rundown:

- Amazon Cloud Drive joins the storage big leagues by allowing users to sync files between devices.

- Yahoo Mail connects with Dropbox for e-mail attachments.

- HTC One arrives at AT&T and Sprint on April 19, and pre-orders begin this week. (Read the CNET review here.)

- AT&T plans to launch HD Voice later this year. … Read more

Amazon Cloud Drive gets more Dropbox-like, adds file syncing

One would have assumed that Amazon, the Web services cloud giant, would already have had file syncing available for its personal cloud storage service, Cloud Drive.

Turns out that the digital lockers didn't have that capability until recently.

The Verge reported today that the company has quietly rolled out the new feature to Cloud Drive users.

File syncing seems like it should be a fairly standard feature for any cloud-based storage and collaboration platform, and Amazon's version doesn't seem much different.

Basically, users can just drop a file into a specified folder. That file is automatically uploaded … Read more

Former Windows Phone exec reportedly joins Amazon

Longtime Microsoft veteran Charlie Kindel, who left the software giant a year and a half ago to launch a startup, just joined Amazon to work on a "secret" project.

Kindel held several jobs in his 21 years at Microsoft, including general manager in charge of rallying independent software developers to its Windows Phone platform. His hire at Amazon could stoke more speculation that the online retail giant is readying a mobile phone of its own. Kindel isn't saying, noting on his recently updated LinkedIn page only that he's working on "something wonderful."

The news … Read more

Kindle Fire HD 8.9 LTE comes to AT&T April 5

AT&T today announced the upcoming availability of the Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 LTE.

The connected tablet will sell for $399.99, and can be added onto Mobile Share plans, starting at $10 per month.

For those planning to hold onto the tablet for long-term, AT&T is knocking $150 off the price just so long as you commit to a two-year service agreement. Specifically, you get a $100 discount for signing the two-year contract, while an additional $50 comes back to you as a credit activation for tablets purchased in a retail store. The $249.… Read more